News

Columbia, MD – March 28, 2017 – Milestone Sports, makers of the MilestonePod, announces the signing of a new, 12-month contract with Atlanta-based athlete Jackie Merritt, following a successful five month deal in 2016.

“It was great working with Milestone Sports during the past several months,” said Merritt. “Not only did I use the Pod data in my own training, but it was really rewarding to help others achieve their running goals through use of the biomechanical metrics the Pod provides. I’m really excited do even more this year to make this important data come to life.”

Merritt is a long-time MilestonePod user, valuing the detailed gait metrics as both an athlete and a physical therapist with a Ph.D. in the field of Biomechanics. As part of the partnership, Merritt tells her training and racing story through Jackie’s Journey, a dedicated page on the company’s website. With a mix of race reports and in-depth training articles grounded in Pod data and personal experience, she shows readers how to use gait data to become a better runner and stay healthy.

“Jackie’s expertise in both running and biomechanics has been invaluable as we work to help our users apply their Pod data,” said Nancy Rowe, VP of Marketing at Milestone Sports. “We went after Jackie to bolster our content channels and help pave our way into the competitive endurance running world. The fact that she has been representing us on every podium is a huge bonus. Wins or not, we are proud to keep her in the Milestone Sports family.”

Jackie on her way to a win at the Mountain Mist 50k on January 28, 2017. She is powered by Milestone Sports, Saucony and NATHAN.

Since signing with Milestone Sports on August 1, 2016, Merritt has been on a win streak:

Merritt has her sights set on the brutal 70+ mile Georgia Death Race (GDR) on April 1st, a “Golden Ticket” event, sending the top two male and female finishers to the 2017 Western States Endurance Run. She has been named “one to watch” by GDR Race Director Sean Blanton as quoted in Trail Runner Magazine: “She should not only walk all over everyone here but make a statement. She has a legit possibility of winning Western States.”

Like Milestone Sports, Merritt represents other brands behind the gear she uses and loves. For footwear and apparel she represents Saucony, creators of her go-to training and racing gear, the Peregrine 7, and Bullet Short. For hydration, she runs for Team NATHAN and is a loyal fan of the VaporHow Race Vest.

She is coached by ultrarunning legend Andy Jones-Wilkins, also an Expert Coach with Carmichael Training Systems.

“Jackie is a joy to coach,” says Jones-Wilkins. “She understands that ultra training is as much art as it is science. I use leg swing and ground contact time to help determine her fitness level and power potential. If she wins a Golden Ticket, we’ll circle the wagons and talk goals for Western States. I’ve seen a lot of Western States runners over the years and Jackie clearly has top-10 potential. After that, the sky’s the limit!”

About Milestone SportsMilestone Sports, Ltd. is focused on connecting retailers and brands to consumers through its Wearable Marketing Platform (WMP). The platform collects comprehensive data from a low-cost sensor worn on the consumer’s shoe that wirelessly syncs to a mobile device. This rich, real-life data results in meaningful, personal, and valuable direct marketing: the future of retailer and brand loyalty. For more information, visit www.milestonepod.com.